The invention relates to ball games in which a ball or other game projectile is struck by a paddle or racquet to direct the ball or projectile over or to a playing surface. Such games as tennis, racquet ball, badminton, handball, ping-pong and table tennis are exemplary of the games with which the inventive paddle is concerned.
An object of the invention is to provide superior striking control not necessarily dependent upon the training and experience of a player in a court or table game but based upon natural dexterity, so as to increase the enjoyment of, and the number who may enjoy, table games. In games like ping-pong and table tennis, for instance, where rigid protocol has developed regarding size and the nature of the playing surface, small players and players with small living quarters have been all but precluded from enjoying the games. The inventive paddle has been developed in conjunction with playing surfaces for ping pong and table tennis which are of less than regulation size and height and with projectiles of varied rebound qualities to provide a game suited to the enjoyment of more players while adding to the excitement of the games.
In order to provide the needed dexterity and faster response time for players with lesser experience or great experience the invention provides paired or separable striking panels which are, in essence grasped by a player's hand or hands to cover either or both of the front and the back thereof during play so that forehand and backhand strokes may be made without the cumbersome intervening mechanical linkage of a conventional paddle or racquet handle.